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Welcome to the Museums, which conserve the immense collection of art amassed by the popes from the seventeenth century onwards
The Vatican Museums (Italian: Musei Vaticani; Latin: Musea Vaticana) are the public museums of Vatican City. They display works from the immense collection amassed by the Catholic Church and the papacy throughout the centuries, including several of the most well-known Roman sculptures and most important masterpieces of Renaissance art in the world.
Learn about the rules and regulations for visiting the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Gardens. Find out how to plan your visit, what to wear, what to bring, what to expect and how to support the Pope's charitable work.
Learn how the Vatican Museums were created by the Popes over the centuries, starting with the Niccoline Chapel and the Borgia Apartment. Discover the art, archaeology and ethno-anthropology collections and the frescoes by Fra Angelico and Pinturicchio.
- Raphael, Transfiguration, 1520, Pinacoteca Room 8. The beautiful Transfiguration is in Room 8 of the Pinacoteca. It was painted by Raphael, one of the greatest painters of the Renaissance period.
- Laocoön and His Sons, the Octagonal Court of the Pio-Clementine Museum. Laocoön is one of the world’s most ancient and valuable sculptures. The sculpture was famously unearthed near Santa Maria Maggiore in 1506.
- Raphael, School of Athens, 1509-11, Room 1 of the Raphael Rooms. The Raphael Rooms are a world famous assemblage of Renaissance art. A precocious young Raphael and his assistants (particularly Giulio Romano) painted the frescos in the four rooms between 1508-24.
- Apollo Belvedere, the Octagonal Court of the Pio-Clementine Museum. Apollo Belvedere is a famous sculpture from antiquity, certainly the most famous sculpture in the Vatican.
5 days ago · A comprehensive guide to plan your trip to Vatican City, including tickets, tours, opening hours, and tips. Learn about the highlights of the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica and how to avoid the crowds.
Vatican Museums and Galleries, art collections of the popes since the beginning of the 15th century, housed in the papal palaces and other buildings in the Vatican. One of the oldest and most-visited complexes in the world, the Vatican houses some 26 museums and numerous galleries with priceless.
